Intestine Blockage

Not sure if your asking me-- but stomach pain initially concentrated to area to the lower left side of my navel but as the pain grew I couldn't pin pinpoint it as easily. I had a lot of gas and regular bowel movements. Mild nausea, I could eat, but was weary of trying anything that could possibly upset my stomach more. At its worst my pain was at a 7 and I had trouble standing upright. Outside of that I'd gauge it to be about a 2. 

I'm not sure sure I'd discount it not being connected to your RNY. My surgeon explained to me their concern is that I may have developed an internal hernia. She said that when you lose a lot of weight the fat that was 'blocking' a hernia is gone so then the hernia begins to give trouble. She said its a pain that will come and go, (like what I've experienced) and may intensify when eating.

I did a search on this site yesterday for internal hernia and found many many cases of people who've experienced them pretty far out from their actual surgery. From what I've read, the hernia could be a cause of an intestinal blockage. 

Thanks. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Tuesday. Thanks to everyone for their input. I didn't think something like this could happen after all this time since my rny.

I just noticed you are in SC , not that far from me. 

I found a great Gastro doc in Greenville... In case you need it.  

Hope you are doing OK... 

I just had emergency surgery the other day for an internal hernia that caused my bowels to become twisted.  Pretty much came out of nowhere, I was fine in the morning and over the course of a few hours at work the pain gradually increased.  I was finally in so much pain I drove myself to the ER around 2 o'clock in the afternoon and was doubled over in pain.  They did a CT scan and found the problem and transferred me the hospital that my surgeon works out of and I was in surgery by 9pm.  I would go to the ER and have it checked out if the pain is bad enough.  

You are NOT too far out that is has anything to do with your RNY.  I have seen people 10 years and more post op that have issues that relate back to their WLS.

I am also 5 years post op and dealing with a bowel obstruction.  I've been hospitalized a few time, the latest a few weeks ago.

When I was in the ER they put a NG tube into my non existent stomach and I was too out of it to remind them not to, even though we had just been talking about me having WLS before they did that.

That is why I don't want anyone messing with my insides who isn't knowledgeable about the surgical configuration and special requirements.

It is true that anyone with prior abdominal surgeries can develop bowel obstructions but there  is also something called Petersen's Hernia that can occur after laproscopic surgery.

So even if your problem isn't directly related to your WLS, the diagnosis and treatment should always be done by health care professionals who are knowledgeable about treating our unique insides.

I had an open surgery, a combo procedure done 20 years ago. I also have had two blockages....gastric torsions... If they put a tube down your esophagus, it went where your food goes, pouch...and they use that place to decompress the intesinal gas and fluids that back up during an obstruction/ or partial obstruction. 

  They did that to me and also put one up my backside, including an oil retention enema to help me further evacuate and take the pressure off the swollen / stopped up peice of gut. It took 5 days of low intermittent suction,  protonix iv, and antibiotics to take care of the gastritis and the intestine finally untwisted. 

   That is the only way to relieve pressure inside your intestine, they kept your intestine from bursting, so while you are complaining about their care, just know they probably saved your life! 

    A flat plate x-ray can tell an experienced physician exactly what flow you have.., because the air and fluids show up differently on it.

     Gastritis is very dangerous to us who have narrowed passages. It is important to note your first symptoms. you may notice a bigger than usual belly, or a small diameter stool. Those are my clues.

    I take prevacid 30 mg 2 x a day for three days and drink mostly cold liquids and foods., until my intestinal issue has resolved...I notice changes within just a few hours of taking the prevacid. ..after I begin to get relief, I take several days of probiotics to replace lacking enzymes ... prevacid works better and quicker for me than any other RX or OTC.... find what works for you and keep  a months supply on hand at all times.  Chamomile tea and/ or sleepy time tea also help to relax the intestine and can give relief during gastritis episodes. It is improtant to not take any laxaives if you are having gastritis, should you become blocked they can cause the colon to burst.

A person with gastric surgery can have a NG Tube placed, they just can't have a blind NG placement.  Mine was done blind, with no one there even aware of the fact that it shouldn't have been done that way.

I confirmed this with my WLS surgeon who wasn't very happy that it was done that way.

How is placing a blind NG tube lifesaving when contraindicated in an RNY patient?  

In fact, by doing it blind, they could have inadvertently damage or perforate the stomach -- or a life-threatening intestinal perforation.  

Not sure why she should be grateful for being subject to such risk when an NG tube placed with a camera is the standard of care for post gastric bypass patients?

Kat....exactly...having her remnant stomach PUNCTURED, during a blind NG insertion, wouldn't exactly have been a TREAT!! 

Not sure who Sweet Potato is...have not seen her before...but I think she has been mislead, quite a bit

Ladytazz was complaining about the blind NG tube after she told them that she had weight loss surgery.  It was irresponsible of them not to take reasonable care not to damage her with the NG tube.